Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-25

of 1850 was the end of the sectional con-
| trOVersy, and it must be remembered that
| it was Democratic statesmen from the
north, in mad pursuit Of the presidency,
who reOpened the controversy. | had
been member of the Wing national con-
ventions of 1913 and 1852, and had sup
ported Taylor and Scott, both southern
men, but L fe.t 8 sense of wrong
and injustice by the. repeal of the Mis-
souri, compromise that led me into the
Republican party. The people OF the
| south have never appreciated the deep,
/ strong Impression made upon conserva-
| i've men in the north by this most fatal
and foolish measure. We regarded it not
only as breach of personal faith, but as
threatened subVtISiOn Of the COnsti-
tuition in making slavery national insti-
tuition and as tending to suDverG the
| Union; and now, after lapse of over
thirty years, l still regarl it as nothing
less than a crime, and therefore |, with
The great mass Of the northern Wings and
Democrats, as patriotic duty resolved,
50 far as | could, that | would secure to
Kans,s and Nebraska free institutions
and thu, restore the ''statu
quo" This was done, as
L Iu0uSuG, NY TIE SISCGlOu
Of Abraham Lincoln Had this election
been acquiesCed in, the south knows how
kind, fOrOearing and conservative would
have been his policy, for of all the public
men | have met be more than any other
Combined the loving kindness of women
with the moderation and wise forethought
Of statesmen. He could truly say that
he would have "ChaTity for all, malice to-
ward none" In all this preliminary
struggle the majority Of the people of
Tennessee stood neutral. In the section
al cnntest they stood for the Union and
constitution ard the enforcement Of the
laws. Tney voted for Bell aud Everett
on this broad national platform, and, if
am not mistaken in current history,
they were unwiliIng.y drawn by the Dem
OCTatiC politicians INTO lhe trGtiCidal CON
test; bus when N it, did their duty man
fully and braVely, each msn according to
his C0nvlC ions Of Gu!y. Your people
divided on opposite lines and bore more
thap your share q the terrible losses and
sacrifices of the war. 1t is over, thank
GOd, but the bravery and fOrtitude OF
both sides are now the pride and heritage
of US al. Think not that come here to
reprOech any man for the part he took in
the fight, or to revive in the heart Of any
one the triumph of victory CT the paugs
of defeat. don't come to make apollo
gies, nor do | ask any Of you. The
war was, perhaps, unaVOidably
bound to come sometime, and the sooner
euded the better. All l claim is that the
Republican party was actuated, not by q
spirit IF conquest or revenge, but only
by fervent love Of the Union and de- ,
termined purpose to maintain the cOnsti-
tuition as they understood it. No man in
the north questions the honesty Of pur-
pose, of the herOism with which the Con
federates maintained their cause, and you
will give credit for like courage and hon.
orable motives TO the Union soldiers OF
the north and sou b. When the war was
over, the people of the north heartily
approved the generous terms granted by
General Grant to General Lee and the
Confederate troops, and wished that
should be restored to all their
rights and privileges, subject only to
such conditions as good honor and good
faith seemed to demand. Arising out of
the proclamation of President Lincoln de- |
claIing the emancipation of the slaves.
both sides fell that the abolition of slav-
I'll WIS Tue uCCSSSdiJ ICGulL VI LuC wal
and 1t seemed to as that if the slaves |
were to be free they must be armed with |
the privileges of freemen, and these were
secured to them by constitutional amend
ments. The attempt to enforce these |
rights by national authority has thus far !
partially failed, and now it IS conceded !
under limitations of the constitution that |
the rights of the citiz ms Of d state
can Only be enforced through |
state or national Tribunals, and where !
puDiic opinion is intolerant Jurors will |
not do their duty, aud 8 citizen, either |
white or blsck, may be without remedy |
for the grOssest wrongs, except the right |
to migrate to where his rights will be re- !
spected. Our institutions ere based |
upon the ideas that such denial of .
rights is impossible, and l trust the
time is not far distant HhtTe the people |
Of every state will feel It 10 be both just
and txpedieGt tbat every citizen of the |
state snail be protected IN the free and |
equal enjoyment of every right and priv
ilege conferred by the constitution of |
the United States. TIE Republican party |
is pledged to this policy, and though |
it viii use no unconstitutional !
means to secure these rights, it would be |
false to its principles if 1t does not use all !
its morsl and legal power to that end.
No wrong can be done to the humble
citizen and no right withheld without re-
action upon the community st large.